Ventura Highway
by Evmoy15
Summary: Set right after the ending of Egoistic Poriomania. Kurisu and Okabe are stranded in the Nevada desert. Once they manage to get some more fuel, Kurisu takes Okabe on a joyride. OkaKuri fluff.


"Do you really want to know..?"

Makise Kurisu looked up at me as she asked the question. I stared into her eyes. Those beautiful eyes that had comforted me on my journey so many times before. I was unsure of how Kurisu was going to react or what she was going to say. The wind blew her dark hair around.

"Close your eyes."

I did as she asked. I felt her come closer, grabbing at my shoulders. It was just like that time, back in the lab. It felt an eternity ago. Her soft lips once again met with my own, and I froze for only a moment. Then I wrapped both my arms around her, pulling her as close as I could while holding the kiss. Our difference in height proved a bit difficult, and I could feel Kurisu balancing on her toes. She was the one to break away from me, looking down and flushing red.

"It's better than I remember." I reached out and touched her face, again unsure.

"I wish I could say the same…"

" _Crap! Did I do something wrong? Have I blown it in this timeline as well? I can't go back... It's do or die for me now. I, Mad Scientist Hououin…"_

Kurisu cut my mental monologue off.

"It's the first time for me, remember? My first."

" _Oh, right. That experience hasn't happened for us in this wordline. How could I have forgotten! So careless…"_

"U-um, yeah. Right." I looked to the side.

Kurisu puffed her cheeks out. She looked upset and moved to speak again, but I interjected. Pulling her close as I led her into another kiss.

We broke apart once more.

Kurisu looked up at Okabe Rintaro. She hadn't known him that long, but after he had suddenly kissed her, he looked much more at ease. As if a massive weight had been removed from his shoulders.

"This is truly the choice of Steins;Gate. The worldline that I have fought for, and triumphed over the Organization to reach! To think we've crossed paths again, and we're here now..." He babbled, in an only slight more reverent version of his characteristic mad scientist persona.

" _Gah, there he goes again_ _with those chunnibyou delusions! How…how..."_ Kurisu stopped her thought process for a moment. She had her own chunnibyou moments herself when posting on Channel before. This stupid man! He knew just how to push her buttons. Okabe Rintarou. Who are you? Kurisu realized that Okabe had stopped speaking and was waiting for her response. He looked as if he was about to cry. She remembered something in her memories. Not fully sure if she should say this now, Kurisu took a leap of faith.

"I'll always support you, Okabe. Across any worldline. You can always confide in me."

" _Ugghh! Why am I saying these things to this man I hardly know? Where is this coming from?"_

Okabe's face quivered. He was swallowing over and over, trying to hold back tears. He dropped to his knees, trembling.

"Thank you, Kurisu… I can't...can't express how much I... You're so much more than just my assistant. I never... never would have survived the Alpha world line without you."

She kneeled, pulling Okabe into a hug. Kurisu ran her fingers through his hair. The still hot pavement from the day's sun baked her legs.

Okabe looked up her, smiling. The two stood as she dried his tears.

"Now. How the hell do we get back?"

Kurisu opened the trunk and pulled out a gas can. She tossed it to Okabe.

"Start walking. We'll go get some fuel and come back."

She also dug around in the trunk, tossing Okabe a can of Diet Dr. Pepper. He caught it with his free hand, cracked the lid and pounded the contents.

"As expected of my girl genius assistant, Chrrrrrrrriiissstinnaaa! She comes prepared, even when not prepared!"

"I am NOT your assistant. Just shut up and walk!" She pouted with a sigh, walking ahead of Okabe for a moment.

After walking for about half an hour, they were picked up by a passing farm truck on the way back from a run to a remote field. They rode in the back, Kurisu sitting in Okabe's lap as to not fill her leggings with hay. The older man dropped them off at the nearest service station, wishing them good luck before he continued on. Putting a few gallons of fuel in the can and grabbing a couple drinks at the convenience store, they started the trek back. By this point, the sun was well and set. Kurisu had the foresight to buy a twelve volt charger for the phones as well. They were both walking away from the roadside.

Okabe remembered something he had learned from Kurisu. Protect your date when walking. He quickly sped up, pretended to trip and shoved Kurisu over, taking the side next to the road.

Kurisu sputtered, almost falling over.

"God, you're a klutz! Sometimes I have a hard time believing you fought anyone in those alternate timelines."

" _Wait, he's walking on the highway side now… Did he just awkwardly swap sides with me for the sake of my safety? That's surprisingly gentlemanly of him..."_

"I simply tripped, Chrrrrristinnaa! A waver from my-"

"Can it, Okabe." She went to look at him before realizing he probably couldn't see that well. At least the moon was out tonight. She reached over and gripped his hand instead. "Thanks."

"O-Oh..." Okabe responded, squeezing her hand in return.

After quite some time, they found the pink cadillac once again. Kurisu dumped the fuel from the can into the tank. She tossed the tank back into the trunk and jumped in. Okabe got in the passenger side. Kurisu dug around for her keys. Finding the key, she slid it into the ignition. Kurisu pumped the gas twenty or so times, knowing full well the carburetor's bowl would be empty. She turned the key and the engine responded with turning over very slowly.

"Oh no, the battery. It's..." Kurisu sighed. She had poured all the gas into the tank as well, leaving none to prime the carburetor with. She'd have to siphon...

" _Wait…."_ She looked over at Okabe who was seemingly concerned. _"I'll just ask Okabe to do the siphon! We'll see how far he's willing to go. Heh, heh. Delightfully devilish, Kurisu!"_ __

"Hey, Okabe. I need your help with this. See, the fuel system's gone dry and I think the battery is too weak to prime it with cranking the engine over. Will the great _Hououin Kyouma_ help his poor assistant?"

Okabe looked ready and willing to help. He was already getting out of the car. She released the hood and followed him around to the front. Opening the hood, Kurisu grabbed the pliers kept next to the battery. Then she removed the air-cleaner and the fuel line.

"Okay, Okabe. I need you to suck on this line until you get gas. Shove it back onto the nipple here and then signal me. I'll start the engine then."

" _Jeez, what's this girl getting me into? I'm a mad scientist, not a mechanic! Perhaps she should choose a newer vehicle that's not so problem-ridden..."_

As if Kurisu could sense Okabe's doubt in her wheels, she playfully socked him in the side. "Hey! Come on, don't be mean. She's a classic!"

" _Damn! She read right through me…as expected of Christina!"_

"Alright, I got it. This hose here?" She took the line and stuck it in Okabe's mouth like a glorified silly straw. _"God, this is going to suck! It's a basic siphon. Playing my emotions and asking for my help, damn her!"_

Kurisu jumped back in the car. Okabe knew in an instant his hypothesis was correct. Sucking hard on the line, he got a mouthful of fuel. Coughing and gagging, Okabe jammed the line back on the nipple Kurisu had indicated. Then, between the spitting and hacking proceeded to bang on the hood. He heard Kurisu's foot slam down over and over as she turned the engine over. The car rocked back and forth a bit as she shook in her seat, seemingly.

" _God, why is this attractive? I've never even been in a situation like this before! Such a show of dominance over this mechanical menace by Kurisu…"_

Okabe's thoughts were interrupted by a loud bang. The engine roared to life. After that bang and a face full of soot he was sure his eyebrows must be gone. Sitting sat down on the pavement, he continued to try and spit out the taste of fuel in his mouth. Kurisu came back around the front.

"Hey, excellent work Okab-…" She looked down at him with a look of both pity and humor. Sputtering, she tried not to laugh. "The backfire. Your eyebrows…"

"Now just listen here my assistant! Don't laugh at the misfortune I have suffered from your jalopy blowing up in my face!" No sooner than the diatribe left his mouth, he regretted it.

"Bye then. No ride in this "jalopy" for you." Kurisu retaliated, slamming the hood.

"Ah…um! Wait, Christina! That's not what I..." His pleas fell on deaf ears as she slammed the door next.

"That's not my name." She turned on the lights and began to pull away.

"Wait, wait! Girl Genius Makise Kurisu please take me with you! I'm begging you!" Okabe prostrated as he ran to the driver's side door.

Her lips curled up in a smile. For some reason, Kurisu took immense pleasure in Okabe petting her ego.

"Alright, get in." She gloated, as Okabe quickly got in the passenger's seat. As he looked around for his seatbelt, Kurisu crowed in satisfaction.

"There are no seatbelts. It's a '59." She floored the car, and physics knocked Okabe back into his seat. He said nothing as Kurisu pointed them back towards California. The moonlight reflected off the window. Her face was lit from below by the warm glow of the instrument cluster lighting.

" _Hmm, it's reminiscent of a Nixie tube… She's got good taste."_ He took the charger Kurisu had bought at the service station was about to plug in his phone when she grabbed his hand.

"Okabe…just leave it off for now, alright?" Her request was surprisingly soft.

He was confused as to why she'd deny him when they needed to inform the others, he then realized she wanted to avoid the barrage of worried questions they would no doubt receive. Okabe plugged it in to charge, but left it off. The light of the service station from earlier glinted in the distance.

"We'll have to stop again and fill up. It's 90 or so miles back to LA from here. I'm surprised you had enough money to pay that taxi to come all the way out here."

"Ah, it was almost all of the cash I had on hand. I was caught in the moment. It was-"

"Someone you thought you knew, from the Alpha worldline. Was she important to you?"

"She wasn't the person I knew, she was..." Okabe stopped himself.

" _I can't let on too much about that world line. The divergence- Crap! I don't have the meter anymore... I wonder how the hell I built that thing..."_

Kurisu frowned at his abrupt silence. "You know, sometimes I wonder if you're bullshitting me and you're just a stalker, Okabe! You always stop mid-sentence. I should scan your brain and see what reallymakes you tick."

" _That's something I need to try to avoid. If Kurisu scanned my brain at the university, who knows what she'd find and who might see those results. That could send us spinning towards another attractor field all over again…"_ With an audible inhale Okabe sank back into his seat, eyes glazing over as he flashed back.

Kurisu pulled into the service station and up to a pump. She leaned over, snapping her fingers.

"Hello! Okabe! Earth to the mad scientist!" Kurisu saw his were eyes glaze over. She'd seen that face before. She'd seen it plenty of times in her research. PTSD. Okabe was having a flashback. She noticed sweat forming on his brow, his body shivering. She took him firmly by the shoulders. "Okabe! Okabe!"

" _I looked down at my hands, pulling from the knife. Kurisu collapsed into my arms. "Please...I don't want to die... Save me..."_

"KURISU!" He jolted back with a cry, Kurisu still grasping him. She was alive. She was okay, there was no blood. It was the choice of Steins;Gate, she was right here with him in America. Everyone was fine.

"Okabe." The concern in her voice was palpable. "Tell me everything someday. Got it?"

He looked over at Kurisu and nodded dumbly, a white lie.

" _There is no way I could tell her I killed her. Unless... she remembers! Oh god, what if she's waiting? Is it a test? I can't..."_ He instinctively reach for his phone, but it had dropped onto the floor out of arms reach. No escape.

"Kurisu. Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to, you perverted experiment-loving girl." Okabe replied solemnly.

"I'll be right back." She nodded, getting out of the car. Her expression was as solemn as his.

" _What the hell am I going to do? I have to tell her. But if I do...what damage could I do? But if I don't..."_ Okabe slammed his head against the dashboard as he agonized, only to regret it immediately.

"Hey, whatever it is, I'll help you. I was there for you then, so I'll be there for you now. Even if...even if you seem crazy." Kurisu was leaned against the passenger side door. The fuel pump was running.

" _How am I saying this? I hardly know Okabe. But...it feels like we've known each other for years… I feel warm when I see his face. Those eyes. All the pain...but the love and warmth... Wait, love!? What am I...? Love. That's right. He said he loved me. And I..."_ Kurisu's mind became a blur of déjà vu.

" _The lab, in Japan. I had never been there before, but it felt like I had many times. I'm running in the door. I'm yelling to Okabe. He looks sad… I'm fading...Oh god. Oh god. That was… Maybe…he's right. This feels too real... This..."_ She took a deep breath.

"Soon, Christina. I just…I need time." The gas pump clicked. Kurisu walked around to the other side of the car and pulled it out. She cringed a bit at the dollar amount displayed. Sometimes she debated getting a small compact car, and this was one of those times. Sitting back down, she started the engine.

"Don't keep me waiting too long, Okabe. I'll take what I'm looking for if you do." She pulled out onto the highway. The cool night air blew her chestnut colored hair all around. Okabe smiled, staring at her for a moment.

"Don't be a pervert. Staring is rude." Kurisu flushed.

"You know, you've got really beautiful hair. I've always thought that."

" _Romance! From this goober? It's in his system? He thinks my hair...he LIKES my hair? Someone...likes my hair. Someone likes me. Not just because I'm a genius."_ The idea was refreshing to Kurisu.

"Hey, Okabe. How fast have you been before in a car?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe 110 km/h or something…"

" _It's the middle of the night and we're in the middle of nowhere Nevada. I don't ever get to speed in LA..."_

Kurisu smirked, slamming her boot down on the floor. The large V8 engine went from a calm burble to a guttural roar as the transmission dropped down a gear. Her face lit up as she hit the high-beam headlight foot switch. She kept her boot firmly matted to the floor.

Okabe was a bit confused. He had only seen Kurisu with this face when conducting experiments...or after they had...

He gulped. Her hair flew all about as his lab coat flapped in the wind. It was cold, but exhilarating. It felt like freedom. The roar of the engine in tune with the seat rumbling.

"Yes, my assistant! Go on, full impulse! Take us forward in this worldline! This is the choice of Steins;Gate!" Okabe crowed as he scooted closer to Kurisu on the bench seat.

"Come on, faster! Faster!" Kurisu cackled in reply.

She wiggled in the seat a bit, as if trying to will the vehicle to accelerate quicker.

A quick glance down at the gauges revealed the speedometer was pegged on the far end, past eighty five. The engine's roar had become more of a throaty scream. Okabe's mechanical sympathy kicked it as he noticed the vehicle begging Kurisu to let up, even if just for a moment. He watched her leg trembling with how much force she was putting on that pedal.

" _Why is this so damn attractive!? This machine is begging Kurisu for sympathy and she's not letting it up. It's dominance! I…am I a submissive type? Do I want Kurisu to step all over me as well?"_ He glance at her boot as he ponder such a possibility, but his thoughts were cut short as they whipped past a sign. A moment later, bright red and blue lights came on.

"Fuck! That was the line! It's California Highway Patrol, shit! How fast was I going?" She looked down, seeing the still pegged speedometer, despite letting off the gas.

"Shit... shit... _shit!_ I'm going to fucking jail. They're going to impound the car... They'll want… Okabe, do you have your passport?" Kurisu was on the brakes now, right turn signal on.

"No, I didn't bring it with me."

" _Fucking fuck fuck fuck fuck! God damn it Kurisu, careless! They're going to deport Okabe and... What the hell am I..? Calm down. Calm down."_

She took deep breaths as she pulled off to the side of the road. The police car pulled up moments later, spotlights blaring in the mirrors.

"SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. HANDS ON THE WHEEL."

"Oh fuck. Okabe, keep quiet. Let me do the talking. Keep your hands visible." Kurisu shut the engine down and killed the lights. She put the keys on the dashboard.

Okabe nodded. He knew cops were trouble, and they were definitely over whatever the speed limit was here.

"License, insurance and registration. Ma'am, do you know how fast you were going?" Said the CHP officer as he approached the passenger side.

Kurisu let out a deep sigh as she dug her wallet out, taking her ID card out. She leaned over and rummaged in the glove box, pulling out two pieces of paper.

"I don't officer. My speedometer sticks after seventy two." A bluff, but she hoped it would pay off.

"Ma'am. You were going one hundred and twenty miles an hour in a seventy mile an hour zone. You know that's a felony, right, Miss…..Miss…Kurrisoo? Chris? Christina? Christina." He said with a glare.

Kurisu grit her teeth in response. She could feel Okabe laughing at her right now. She shot him a quick glare.

"You wait here. I'll be right back." He sauntered back to his vehicle to run her plates.

"Christtiiinnnaaa!" Okabe whispered as the officer disappeared from earshot.

"Shut it, or I'll tell him you were carjacking me." Kurisu glowered.

The cop came back a few minutes later.

"Well ma'am, normally I'd give a warning since you have a clean record, but I'm afraid with the speed there's nothing I can do. I'm going to have to book you. Maybe next time don't borrow daddy's car and go joyriding with your boyfriend here." The officer opened the door.

"Daddy's car!? This is-" Kurisu sputtered with indignation, but was cut off. The officer began his speech.

"Christina Makise, under California Highway Code you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent." The Miranda Warning began as the foreign words blurred into Okabe's mind.

After the cop had opened the door, Okabe saw one thing, and his eye had fixed on it since then. The gun. Flashbacks again. Kurisu getting shot. The cop's hand was resting near the firearm. Okabe couldn't understand much of what was being said but Kurisu was in trouble. _"Is it really like the movies? Are they going to shoot her? Something…something!"_

"AHHAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU THOUGHT YOUR TARGET WAS MAKISE KURISU, BUT SHE IS JUST THE ASSISTANT IN THIS WHOLE OPERATION, FOR IT IS I, HOUOUIN KYOUMA-" His shrieking was loud, plaintive, and panicked. Unintelligible for anyone not fluent in Japanese, and even then, still difficult to comprehend.

"Okabe, what the hell are you doing!? Shut up, you're going to get us in more-" Kurisu hissed, first part in English before she switched to a language that made sense to her idiot mad scientist friend. She was cut off as the cop stepped in.

" _Is this the choice of Steins;Gate? Faced with this officer's weapon, am I to die here? For Kurisu..."_ His simultaneous internal monolog was as subdued as his audible one was outrageous.

"-MAD SCIENTIST SONNUVABITCH WHO YOU ARE LOOKING FOR! I AM HERE TO INFLTRATE AND GATHER INTELLIGENCE AGAINST THE-" Kurisu cut him off abruptly by stomping on his foot. It worked and his speech was halted by the pain.

"Shut the fuck up, Okabe!"Her seething admonishment was delivered in Japanese from the start this time. Okabe crumpled towards the seat, as the trooper fired the taser. Tensing spasmodically, he almost fell out of the car.

"Don't you kids go anywhere." The officer spoke in his radio, heading back towards the cruiser. Kurisu opened her mouth in preparation to verbally defenestrate Okabe, but was interrupted as the officer suddenly pivoted back.

"I thought your name was familiar. You're that student girl! I heard about you on NPR! This crazy dude, he must be a test subject for your school! I heard someone had broken out from an insane asylum near here. I had no idea you were transporting under cover of night!" He handed her license and registration back to Kurisu.

"Keep the speed down, and have nice night." The cop jogged back to his car and pulled away, spitting gravel from his tires. Her jaw dropped open in disbelief at her luck.

"You absolute chunnibyou fucking mongoloid! He TASED you! We…we..." She sighed in exasperation and then, relief.

"Thanks. He was going to book me for that. It was a felony. That was pretty good thinking."

Okabe was now sitting back in the seat. Drenched in sweat, panting. He was holding his head in his hands. Another episode. Something like this must have happened before.

"The gun. I thought he was going to shoot you. I didn't know what to do…" Kurisu reached over to take his hand soothingly.

"Hey, it's okay. I wasn't going to get shot for speeding. Not unless we ran or something. That did really scare him off though. I guess he didn't want to do the paperwork." Kurisu started the engine again, pulling back onto the highway.

The remainder of the drive back to the motel was mostly silent. Okabe sat there, staring out the windshield. It was almost morning before Kurisu pulled into the small parking lot. She killed the engine and looked back at Okabe.

"Kyouma." That snapped him back to reality. "Christina?"

"You can sleep in my room tonight, but only on the floor! Got it!?" Okabe nodded. "As a gentleman, I would have it no other way!"

Suddenly, lights came on from one of the balconies. The others must have been waiting for them.

"It's the exploding riajuu parade! Come on Okarin, what the hell man!?" Daru hollered, his speech peppered with chan-isms even panicked.

"Nullpo!" Kurisu scoffed, yelling back. Okabe smirked at just how obviously prone to trolling she was. Just like the rest of them. Well, save for Mayuri, she was exempt from condemnation.

Speaking of which, Mayuri had just jumped through the doorframe, tackling Okabe and creating a three person pile up into Kurisu.

"Okarin and Kurisu-chan! Mayushii was so worried! Where did you go? Where did Okarin run off to!?"

Okabe glanced back towards Kurisu, doing his best to shrug only with his eyes. Kurisu's expression softened as she patted Mayuri's head.

"Oh, Okabe got confused for a mental patient, tazed and I had to rescue him." Stated Kurisu matter of factly, as Okabe sputtered in response.

"That wasn't what happened! Christina almost went to jail, and I had to use my powers of wit on the officer! A skill honed over years of practice! Rukako! Remember this!" Grasping at straws Okabe looked to Ruka to support his wounded pride.

Daru slammed the door, mumbling something about filthy casuals.

As the three climbed out of the car, Kurisu winked at Okabe.

" _This is truly the choice of Steins;Gate."_ Okabe looked up at the moon for a moment, smiling.


End file.
